Michael McNulty
Michael McNulty | |
---|---|
![]() Official portrait,110th Congress | |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromNew York | |
In office January 3, 1989 – January 3, 2009 | |
Preceded by | Samuel S. Stratton |
Succeeded by | Paul Tonko |
Constituency | 23rd district(1989–93) 21st district(1993–2009) |
Member of theNew York State Assembly from the 106th district | |
In office January 1, 1983 – December 31, 1988 | |
Preceded by | Neil W. Kelleher |
Succeeded by | Ronald Canestrari |
Personal details | |
Born | Troy, New York,U.S. | September 16, 1947
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Nancy McNulty |
Alma mater | College of the Holy Cross(BA) |
Occupation | Insurance broker |
Signature | ![]() |
Michael Robert McNulty(born September 16, 1947) is a retired American politician from theU.S. stateofNew York.He served in theUnited States House of Representativesfrom 1989 to 2009 representing New York'sCapital Districtand was chairman of the House Subcommittee on Social Security in the 110th Congress.
Early life, education, and early political career
[edit]McNulty was born inTroy, New Yorkand attendedTroy public schools.He attended theLa Salle Instituteand graduated from St. Joseph's Institute in 1965. He attendedLoyola University Rome CenterinRome,Italyfrom 1967 to 1968. In 1969, McNulty graduated from theCollege of the Holy CrossinWorcester, Massachusetts.
McNulty is a member of the third generation of Catholic,[1]Irish-Americanfamily long prominent in Capital District politics. His grandfather, Jack McNulty Sr., was chairman of theGreen Island, New YorkDemocratic Party from 1919 to 1969 andAlbany County Sheriff,and McNulty's father,Jack Jr.,followed Jack Sr. as chairman. and also served as sheriff.
Michael McNulty worked as an insurance broker before entering politics. He was first elected to public office in November 1969 as Green Island'stown supervisor;at 22, he was the youngest town supervisor in the state. In 1976, he ran for a seat in theNew York State Assemblyin the 106th Assembly District. He lost to Republican incumbentNeil Kelleher55%-46%.[2]A year later, he succeeded his father as chairman of the Green Island Democratic Party and was also elected as mayor of the village of Green Island, a post he held until 1982.
New York Assembly
[edit]After redistricting in 1982, AssemblymanNeil W. Kelleher,of the old 106th District, ran in the new 100th Assembly District, and McNulty ran in the new 106th. McNulty was a member of theNew York State Assemblyfrom 1983 to 1988, sitting in the185th,186thand187th New York State Legislatures.
U.S. House of Representatives
[edit]Elections
[edit]In 1988, U.S. CongressmanSamuel S. StrattonofNew York's 23rd congressional districtannounced his withdrawal from the race due to health issues. McNulty was selected to replace him on the ballot. He was elected handily in what was then one of the few reliably Democratic areas in Upstate New York. He was reelected nine more times without serious difficulty. The district was renumbered as the 21st District after the 1990 census.
In 2004, he was challenged byRepublican/LibertarianWarren Redlich,who ran for governor in 2010. McNulty faced Redlich again in 2006 and was reelected with 78% of the vote - his widest margin.[2].He also had a primary challenge in 1996 by Lee H. Wasserman, in which he won by a closer margin than he ever had in the general election.
In October 2007, McNulty announced that he wouldn't seek an 11th term in Congress.[3][4][5]Paul Tonko,who had served alongside McNulty in the State Assembly from 1983 to 1989, won the Democratic nomination to replace McNulty, and subsequently won the general election in November. Despite being an open seat, this was not considered a competitive election, as the 21st is considered the most Democratic district in the state outside of theNew York City-based districts andWestern New York.BothCongressional Quarterlyand theCook Political Reportrated the race for the 21st's open seat as "Safe Democratic."
Tenure
[edit]- Positions
McNulty is a moderate Democrat by New York standards. He voted for the War in Iraq, but since changed his stance and cosponsored RepresentativeJohn Murtha's resolution for a phased withdrawal from the region.[6]
- Controversies
McNulty presided over a vote to recommit an agricultural appropriations bill on the night of August 2, 2007 that would have prevented illegal immigrants from receiving food stamps. McNulty claimed the vote tied 214-214 with members changing their votes after time had expired, McNulty gaveled down a vote and tallied it 212-216 against the motion, while Republicans argued the House screen tally vote was 215-213 in favor to recommit. Republicans chanted "Shame" and later walked out of the House in protest. McNulty andSteny Hoyerapologized on the floor the next morning for prematurely gaveling down the vote. In May 2008, a bipartisan investigation panel includingBill DelahuntandMike Pencebegan working to determine whether the vote had been tallied correctly and what action should be taken, if any. A year later, the panel found that the Democrats did indeed improperly tally the vote.[7]
- Rankings/endorsements
He was consistently endorsed by both theConservative Partyand theWorking Families Party,third parties in New York.
McNulty received an "A" on theDrum Major Institute's 2005Scorecardon middle-class issues.
Committee assignments
[edit]- Ways & Means Committee
- Subcommittee on Social Security (Chairman)
- Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support
- At-Large Whip
References
[edit]- ^"On Politics: Biography, Michael R. McNulty".Washington Post.Washington, DC. January 29, 2000.
- ^"Our Campaigns - NY Assembly 106 Race - Nov 02, 1976".
- ^Rick Karlin,McNulty won't run again: 10-term congressman plans announcement; move creates wide-open race for seat,October 26, 2007[1][permanent dead link].Accessed October 26, 2007.
- ^The Associated Press,McNulty retiring from Congress, Democrats say,The Legislative Gazette, October 29, 2007, p. 9.
- ^Press Release, Congressman Michael R. McNulty,McNulty: "I'm Coming Home"as of October 29, 2007.
- ^All Politics Is LocalArchived2007-09-27 at theWayback Machine,Elizabeth Benjamin,Albany Times Union,July 20, 2006
- ^"FOXNews - Panel:House Democrats Botched Immigration Vote - Politics | Republican Party | Democratic Party | Political Spectrum".Fox News.Archived fromthe originalon 2008-09-26.Retrieved2008-09-25.
External links
[edit]- 1947 births
- Living people
- College of the Holy Cross alumni
- Mayors of places in New York (state)
- Democratic Party members of the New York State Assembly
- Politicians from Troy, New York
- Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state)
- 21st-century American legislators
- People from Albany County, New York
- Catholics from New York (state)
- 21st-century New York (state) politicians